How to Choose a Dog Trainer
If you are looking to hire a great dog trainer, then you are eyeing at teaching your pet dog not only basic obedience and habit formation but also advanced dog sports skills. Let us say that you have a good length of experience with canines, still and all, a professional dog trainer can offer you the most effective solutions to struggles with training a dog discipline, habits and abilities. But the question is: how do you find the right dog trainer?
There is not much regulation in the dog training industry. This means to say that anyone can distribute business cards, accept dog services and charge clients even though he or she does not have the essential background, experience, and education. Evaluating candidate dog trainers is an important step to ensure you are going to really train your dog and you do not waste your money.
Tips in Choosing a Dog Trainer
1. Training Approach
When trying to check out your candidates, it is important to have an eye for their approach. This means to say that you need to determine if the trainer enforces positive or negative reinforcement in the sessions. Based on research, dogs are likely to learn more quickly and lastingly when positive reinforcement is being applied onto the learning. One example of positive reinforcement is rewarding a dog for a job done well. On top of the approach, you also need to check the mode of teaching that the trainer uses. For instance, does he conduct private training to canines or delivers classes?
2. Career Background
When meeting candidate dog trainers, one of the area you have to talk about is his or her career information. Basically, you are looking for a dog trainer who has been through the right career experience, education and certification trainings. Although these things are not compulsory for practicing dog trainers, they are however an indication of the trainer’s competence in the field. More than that, they signify the dog trainer’s commitment to learning in this field of endeavor. If you are meeting with a professing dog trainer who cannot show a proof of his or her experience with canines nor can present a certification in dog training, then you may want to consider another candidate for the position.
3. Credible Sources
There are plenty of online and offline places where you can potentially hunt for dog trainer recommendations. The easiest perhaps is merely asking or interviewing the dog owners strolling their pets at the park. But in order for your search to have a sense of direction and to avoid wasting time and resources, it is essential to check out approved lists provided by credible dog trainer evaluators and organizations. You can source these out from both online and offline sources. Asking a recommendation from your pet’s veterinarian is also a good move. Remember that regardless of what other pet owners say, you must be able to pick a trainer that is right and best for your pet dog’s condition and current learning.